======Measuring Parallax Distance======


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**Alternative titles:** Triangulation with a DIY Angle Measurer
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  * Refer to links below for methods to measure distances using parallax.



====Links==== 
Parallax Lab Tutorial - Dave's Astrotracks: 
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Parallax Experiment Demonstration Video - Jennifer DeBenedictis: 
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📄 Parallax in the Lab - Roberto H. Méndez: [[https://home.ifa.hawaii.edu/users/mendez/ASTRO110LAB11/parallax.html]]\\

====Variations====
  * Use multiple baselines (e.g., 0.3 m, 0.6 m, 1.0 m) and plot parallax angle versus baseline to see the linear trend.
  * Try targets at different distances and compare the resulting parallax angles for a fixed baseline.
  * Perform the activity outdoors with very distant references (mountain peak, tall tower) to simulate stellar parallax more closely.




====Safety Precautions====
  *None available.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why must the reference object be much farther away than the target? (A very distant reference minimizes its own apparent shift so the measured change reflects the target’s motion.)
  * What happens to the parallax angle if you double the baseline while keeping the target fixed? (It approximately doubles, improving measurement precision.)
  * How does measurement uncertainty change with target distance for a fixed baseline? (Parallax angle shrinks as distance increases, making percentage error larger unless baseline increases.)
  * How can you reduce percent error in this lab? (Increase baseline, ensure precise alignment, use a very distant reference, repeat and average angles, and verify calculator angle units.)